People around the country are left to grapple with unanswered questions about the match that ignited a powder keg of pent-up anger and frustration within this predominantly black community where most of those in power are white.

On Aug. 9, an on-duty Ferguson cop, now identified as six-year veteran officer Darren Wilson, allegedly shot and killed unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown, after the officer stopped Brown and his friend because they were walking down the middle of a street.

An altercation reportedly ensued, and Brown was shot repeatedly, police said, though they have not said how many times. Witnesses said his hands were up in a gesture of surrender at the time he was shot. Brown’s body was left on the street for four hours during an ensuing investigation, the insensitivity further infuriating the community.

On Friday, police said Brown was suspected of stealing cigars from a liquor store, outraging some who said authorities were trying to smear Brown’s reputation as a good kid. Friday night, peaceful marches were marred by another outbreak of rioting and looting.

Brown’s family pleaded for peace in the aftermath of the fatal shooting, but protests and violent clashes with police erupted anyway and continued for nights. Police at first refused to identify the officer who shot Brown. Looters destroyed businesses and burned a convenience store to the ground.

Police donned riot gear and took a shockingly militarized approach to maintaining peace and controlling crowds. Chaos and confusion continued night after night. It took days for Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon to step in and pressure police to change their approach. Things finally calmed Thursday once Nixon put Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Ronald S. Johnson, a black officer and a Ferguson native, in charge of law enforcement in the city.

Throughout it all, people took to social media to let the world know what was happening; anger and disbelief spread like wildfire.

We do not condone the violence, looting and threats that have taken place in Ferguson. It’s wrong, and it’s not an acceptable way to express outrage.

At the same time, one cannot discount the feelings of anger and despair over Brown’s shooting and the treatment of other black youths across the country. Troubling statistics time and again have shown evidence of profiling during traffic stops and disparities in sentencing and incarceration. Spotty national data about police shootings points to a disproportionate use of lethal force against people of color.

Page 2 of 2 - The protests in Ferguson sparked peaceful vigils and protests in cities throughout the United States. That signals a widespread understanding that there is a problem and that it’s time for a renewed discussion, community by community, about race relations.

Springfield is no stranger to such tension. Thursday, the day the tone in Ferguson seemed to begin to change, was the anniversary of the start of the Springfield race riot of 1908, two days of unrest that led to seven deaths, the destruction of more than 60 homes and businesses and more than 100 eventual criminal indictments. The riot sparked the creation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

More recently, Springfield underwent a period of upheaval in its police force when a black officer was falsely accused of botching a rape investigation, prompting her and other black officers to sue the city for discrimination.

The low number of black police officers, firefighters, teachers and elected officials in Springfield is shameful, and there remains a noticeable physical divide between so-called black neighborhoods and so-called white neighborhoods.

Ferguson residents eventually will be able to begin to work on rebuilding trust and communication in their community. Throughout the country, other cities, including Springfield, should begin or continue to have important conversations about the racial disparities, segregation and biases that exist in their neighborhoods, schools, government and beyond.

The discussions are not easy, and the solutions are complex. One thing has been made clear yet again: these problems cannot be allowed to fester.